1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cutting and pastry boards. More particularly, the invention comprises an expandable, modular cutting/pastry board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cutting boards, ranging from butcher block tables to light weight surface protective pads, have been used for many years. One drawback to most cutting boards is that in order to be of sufficient size for most cutting jobs they become too large for convenient cleaning and storage. A second drawback is that not all jobs require the same size cutting board. For example, most cooks use a small board for slicing vegetables but need a sizable board for carving meats, such as turkeys, requiring additional storage space for a number of different boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,022, issued to Jeremy H. Gibson on Jun. 18, 1996, presents a CUTTING BOARD, which is a single piece having a substantially flat upper surface with a slight crown to allow juices to flow into juice channels running along a first end and two sides. Raised xe2x80x9cteethxe2x80x9d in the surface grip the item being cut and a shovel chute at a second end allows guiding of cut items from the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,441, issued to Bill A. Kegley on Mar. 26, 1996, presents a CUTTING BOARD IMPROVEMENT, a one piece board of a flexible material having hand holes on two, diagonally opposite corners which allow folding of the board to funnel cut items to a smaller receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,978, issued to Todd O. Ladwig on Feb. 7, 1995, presents a CUTTING BOARD, a single piece board having a living hinge between two adjoining, rectangular sections allowing the board to be folded to allow cut objects to be funneled from the board into a smaller receptacle.
While Gibson, Kegley and Ladwig each present single piece boards of fixed size, the present invention provides a board whose size may be adjusted by adding or deleting sections of board, as required. Furthermore, while Gibson and Ladwig each include a handle on one end of the board, the present invention provides for removable handles on each of the two ends for easier carrying. While Kegley includes a pair of handles, his board does not have rigidity for carrying, as does the cutting board of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,519, issued to Curt L. Lilja on Jul. 12, 1988, presents an ARRANGEMENT IN CUTTING BOARDS, which provides a system whereby a plurality of boards may be joined by dovetail or similar type mortis and tenon joints to produce a cutting surface of variable size. Various ancillary devices, such as cutting guides may also be fitted to the board by way of the mortises or tenons. The board arrangement of Lilja, while including the possibility of hand grips, does not have the interlocking joints of the present invention which allow the expanded board to be carried from place to place, as it would become disassembled, if lifted.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,778,324, issued to Edith M. Mattson on Jan. 22, 1957, presents a COLLAPSIBLE PASTRY BOARD. A pair of board sections, one having a mortise and the other having a tenon are covered and connected by a flexible cloth cover. The mortise and tenon prevent lateral slippage between the two board sections while allowing folding of the entire unit along the hinge formed by the cloth cover. As a cloth covered pastry board, Mattson does not provide a solid cutting surface provided by the present invention, and unlike the present invention is not easily transportable in the expanded mode if loaded, nor is there provision for expanding the board beyond the two sections provided.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention provides a expandable cutting/pastry board composed of a plurality of interconnecting sections. While a cook preparing vegetables for the pot may only require a small board, one carving a turkey, cutting other large items or preparing pastries may require a board of considerable size. The novel cutting/pastry board of the invention allows a kitchen to be equipped with a number of interlocking board sections of a modest size rather than a variety of different sized boards, thereby simplifying storage and washing.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which may be assembled and disassembled to varying sizes, depending on the requirements of the individual task.
It is another object of the invention to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which may be easily disassembled to fit compactly into a dishwasher or cabinet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which has a durable cutting surface.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which has a surface resistant to harboring germs and bacteria.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board with a relatively non-stick surface.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board with an easily cleaned surface.
It is again an object of the invention to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which has rigidity, regardless of the number of sections assembled, for moving from place to place, even when loaded.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board with handles which may be easily installed for ease of moving the board from place to place.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board which contains a trough for collecting juice runoff separate from the cutting surface.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modular cutting/pastry board with leak-proof joints.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.